


Love and Chocolate

by VerdantMoth



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bakery, Baking, Chocolate, Chocolatier, Fluffy, M/M, Misunderstandings, losers in love, miscommunications
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 12:21:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12704907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerdantMoth/pseuds/VerdantMoth
Summary: Raphael owns a chocolate shop and also loves Simon.





	Love and Chocolate

Santano’s Chocolate sits on the corner between the library and the record shop, making it the perfect little stop for kids on their way to or from studying and adults lamenting the changes in the music scene. It’s owned by the Santiago family, who’ve seen the unfortunate misspelling of the sign as something of a cosmic joke and who have somehow managed to keep their tiny little business open for almost three centuries now.

Raphael currently runs the place. On paperwork, his sister owns and runs the place, but she’s currently somewhere in Austria. He thinks. As he places delicate Irish Crème truffles on wax paper, he once again laments the fact that he has still yet to come up with a feasible life goal. As it turns out, brooding in dark corners and complaining about entitled brats does not pay light bills or buy food.

Still, it fills the time and keeps him busy, and he finds he is surprisingly good the more delicate process involved in decorating the stupid little candy bites. The long hours are actually kind of nice because they keep him from staring at the walls of his sister’s place. He can play his own music over the speakers, so he keeps a steady string of electric violin songs playing, and the staff he hired to keep it clean do a wonderful job. None of these things stress him out.

It’s the little punks who come in and scarf down his treats like they’re fruit loops that stress him out. He’s seen kids come in with their piggy banks and their greasy hair and their snot covered fingers buy his chocolate. And it’s cool. He’s all about kids enjoying nice things. They’ve got good taste when adults aren’t forcing them into dino nuggets and sugar water. The thing is, the singular aspect of kids eating candy, which drives him absolutely insane. They come in and they buy whatever they can with the changed they’ve scrounged up for a moment. Then, they just shove the whole thing in their mouth. All at once. Half the time they don’t even really chew it before they’re waving at him and bouncing at the door.

Chocolate like this is meant to be savored.  
— 

It’s November, which means sales are doing all sorts of funky things as thanksgiving comes around and people are already stressing about Christmas, but everyone is sort of burned out on Halloween candy. Plus kids are trying to decide it it’s time to prep for finals and al; the music coming out is mostly Christmas anyway.

He’s in the 2 o’clock slump, just waiting for the after work rush when a kid comes sauntering through the door. Really, he’s pretty sure that the “kid” is only a few years younger than him, but he always comes in wearing the dorkiest t-shirts with his curly hair tousled and a vibrant grin on his boyish face.

“Santiago. Two of everything, except the Raspberry Dark truffle, and no Marzipans.” The kid taps his fingers on the counter, intently studying his choices, and Raphael can feel his eye twitching.

“Simon. Hands off the glass.” He starts bagging the candy, and not for the first time wonders if he should ask the kid where he’s getting his money. Raphael tries not to be overpriced, but some of his bites are expensive and Simon routinely buys two of everything, minus marzipans, plus one of a random choice.

He hands them over, setting the extra raspberry truffle on the counter. Like clockwork, the kid grabs the third piece, eyes glued to the floor. He picks it up, and studies it, sniffs it once. As he’s placing the candy in his mouth, he glances at Raphael from under his lashes. Immediately his face turns red and he starts coughing. His eyes are watering and Raphael can see the sweat beads along his hairline.

“Simon? Are you- do you need water?”

Simon just waves him off as he backs out the door, trying to pound his own chest.

Raphael just shakes his head. “Really gotta stop selling him chocolate.”  
—

Simon comes in twice the next week. Raphael doesn’t stop selling him chocolate. In fact, he’s just scrounged up the courage to try and sell him one of his non-chocolate treats when Simon sighs heavily. “I don’t understand why wedding guest need goodie baskets.”

Raphael can’t help the coldness in his voice. “I’m sorry?”

Simon is still studying the cases, and he shrugs before answering. “I just, every week I gotta buy candy so GrumpyGroom can try them all again, and still not decide on what other people might like.”

Raphael is not following that train of thought. There’s a pounding in his ears, and a tightness in his chest that he’s worried about, but his brain isn’t really in a place to sort through all of the signals he’s receiving because the kid has a groom.

Raphael doesn’t say much as he bags the chocolate, leaving out a single piece of orange cream truffle. He’s got his back turned when Simon leaves, and he’s so caught up in the strange and crushing disappointment that he doesn’t even noticed how calm Simon is when he tries the candy this time.

—

The next time Simon comes in he’s scowling and muttering under his breath about seating arrangements and family drama, and Raphael’s got a funny knot in his stomach that he doesn’t think is the Mexican he ate earlier.

“It’s all Christmas flavors.” Simon isn’t even looking at him, his glare fixated on the assortment of red and silver and white and green painted chocolates.

“Yeah? Today is the 23rd.”

Simon scowls and doesn’t say anything. He just walks back out the door. Right before he leaves, Raphael can hear him grumbling, “We’ve tried them all. Why can’t he just make a decision?”

Raphael decides he doesn’t like the groom very much.

—

He doesn’t see Simon at all between Christmas and New Years.

In fact, it’s almost Valentines when he comes in again, and he looks tired and worn, and there’s thunder on his face. Raphael isn’t even going to poke that bear.

“I need 2,000 chocolates on the 13th.”

Raphael blinks. Then he blinks again. The he just stares. Simon isn’t looking at him, just studying the display, as usual.

“Do you even like chocolate?”

Simon’s head whips up and he gives Raphael a mutinous look. “Uh, yeah? Not that it matters?”

Raphael shakes his head. “You realize that 2,000 chocolates is going cost over $1000?”

Simon shrugs. “Not my bill to pay, pal.”

He pulls out a small scrap of paper and squints at it. “An assortment of Raspberry, Irish Crème, Mint, Orange, and Dark.”

Raphael nods slowly, and now it’s his fingers beating on the glass. “Do you, would you like any non-chocolate options? For allergy reasons?”

Simon shakes his head, face turning just a tad red as he peeks at Raphael. “No. We already have other options.”

He doesn’t want to make chocolates for this wedding. He doesn’t want Simon to marry the dude who keeps making him try candy that clearly doesn’t agree with him.  
But Simon, still red in the face and sweating just a bit, is looking at him so earnestly. “Listen, I know it’s a bit short notice. If there’s like an extra price for a rush or something it’s cool. Just add it to the bill. I’d like to pick them up on the 11th if possible.”

Raphael isn’t sure why but he feels a sudden need to make sure Simon gets 2000 of the best damn chocolates. “Don’t worry. They’ll be ready.”

—

The 11th rolls around. Raphael waits all day for Simon to come in. It’s nearing the end of his work day, and business has slowed down, but he hasn’t seen the kid once. His stomach is churning.

The bell above the door clangs and he glances up to see a beautiful man with dark hair. “Here to pick up 2000 truffles?”

“You…” Raphael pauses. “You aren’t Simon?”

The guy has hazel eyes and a bright smile and suddenly Raphael can understand why Simon would be willing to eat candy he shouldn’t for this man. The guy gives him a curious look but nods. “Well, no. He did place the order, but he couldn’t pick them up today.”

Raphael nods, the strange churning in his stomach worsening. He doesn’t say anything as he bags the candy and hands it over. The guy doesn’t even flinch at the price which impresses Raphael. He’s so caught up in the strange unease that the man is halfway out the door before Raphael manages to speak again. “He’s allergic to chocolate, you know.”

The guy looks at him confused. “Who?”

Raphael stares at him, annoyance bleeding through. “Simon. Your fiancé? He’s allergic to chocolate.”

Hazel-eyes doesn’t say anything, just gives him an intensely perplexed look and slips out of the store without another word.

—

Simon doesn’t come buy the store after that. Not for a long time. Raphael tries to tell himself that it’s a good thing. Because it means Simon is happy. That he and his fiancé, or husband now, are doing whatever it is that married people do. He doesn’t need to come and risk his life on specialty candy anymore because the wedding is over.

It doesn’t stop him from feeling hollow inside.

It’s June now, which means summer shoppers coming in. Business is good and steady and he’s not bored and thanks to his sister’s brilliant idea, he’s teaching kids how to  
make their own chocolate in the evenings.

They still cram them into their mouths, but at least they’re tasting it now.

The bell clangs and he looks up, hope fluttering in his chest, but it’s just the guy with hazel eyes.

He doesn’t see Raphael at first, too caught up in the conversation he’s having on his phone. When he finally does hang up, he smiles brightly. “Hey!”

Raphael nods at him.

“Just small assorted box.” He’s blushing a little bit. “It’s an apology.”

“For, your husband?” Raphael doesn’t know why he cares.

The guy shakes his head. “Ah, no. Friend, who is a little put out I haven’t paid them back for running wedding errands.” 

Raphael nods and hands them over. “And uh, how is he? Simon?”

 

The guy gives him a strange look, and then shrugs. “Uhm. Good. Busy. He… He hasn’t been by?” Raphael shakes his head.

—

Raphael has moved on. Mostly. He doesn’t spend every day waiting for the bell to chime and for a married man to come waltzing back into his store.  
It’s cold out again though, and sometimes he catches himself watching for ridiculously lame t-shirts and half frazzled grins.

Perhaps that’s why he’s so stunned when Simon walks back through the door. He’s wearing a bright blue jacket that makes him look like a marshmallow and a stupid matching pompom hat. He even has a ridiculous scarf on, that looks like someone took all the reject yarn and smushed it together, and there is no way Raphael at all finds that endearing.

He walks right up to the counter and stares Raphael down. “Truffle, please.”

He doesn’t say anything else. Doesn’t offer an explanation or a reason, just stands there expectantly.

So Raphael looks at what he has for a long time. He ends up picking out a simple dark chocolate truffle with silver paint on it. He’s cautious as he hands it to Simon. Simon isn’t at all cautious as he puts in his mouth and chews slowly and with intent. He doesn’t cough or choke and his face isn’t red or sweaty.

Raphael frowns. “You uh-“ he hesitates, trying to find his words. “You got over your allergy?”

Simon slings his hands into the air, grumbling under his breath, and all Simon hears is “allergic to your stupid face,” before there are hands wrapped around his apron. Simon is surprisingly strong for being so lanky and he has Raphael half way over the counter as he mashes their lips in a truly horrendous first kiss, that’s all teeth and pressure, and oh. Raphael does not like kissing.

Simon lets him go and says “Please, for the love of everything good in life, go out with me?”

Raphael nods. “Okay, yeah.”

Simon kisses his forehead, and Raphael nods. “But let’s limit future kisses to the forehead region yeah?”

Simon just laughs again, cheeks flushed in the best way.

**Author's Note:**

> For RaphaelSimon on tumblr.


End file.
